Perm coming home after two years in India..

  I was really nervous for Perm to come home from his mission. We both had changed a great deal and I dated while he was away. I knew he wasn't too keen on the idea of someone else dating his girl but I felt it was needed for me to see what else was out there. I felt if I dated and got to know other guys, when Perm came home I would know with out any doubt that he was the one for me. As for him and his thinking.. he hated that train of thought.



Some of my family to welcome him home



  As time got closer the more and more I thought of him, I realized how exceptional he was. How he can start talking to someone and make them feel they are the only thing that matters to Perm. How well he gets along with my family. How driven he is in his life, with school, his career, his family-future and present. It was clear to me at that point, if Perm would be willing to put aside the fact that I dated and look at me and who I've become we would become serious quickly.

  August second came around the corner, I was getting my hair cut and died and making sure I looked perfect for when he walked into the sea of people welcoming him home. His flight was supposed to come in at 7:30 and I was praying with all I had that it would be on time! I went to the airport with my roommate Anita Hawkins and I just remember looking down at my hands and seeing them shake! I was soo nervous to see Perm after two years! Would if he saw me and said, "Yuck! I dated HER?" We talked in an email before hand and he told me I had to shake his hand. I was soo extremely disappointed! I wanted a HUG! But I respected his wishes and was only going to give him that.

  We walk up to the area everyone was waiting and we see his family. I was also nervous for this moment. His family and I haven't ever gotten along like I had always wished. I know they didn't like the fact that I brought the church into Perm's life. Before his mission I was the closest with his little sister, who is now 14. I see her and she has BLUE hair! Oh man! So shakily I said hello to the family. They have worked for just about 12 years on getting family from India to the USA and I was able to meet them for the first time as well. We had a pretty big group there with a lot of my family wanting to welcome him home.



Perm's family





  7:30 comes and goes and no Perm.... Matt is checking on his phone to get the flight information from San Fransisco. Sure enough there are complications with the plan and they had to cancel the flight! I couldn't believe it! San Fransisco! A 3 or 4 hour drive! That little amount of land was holding me back from seeing him! We were really concerned. He didn't have a cell phone, who knew how much money he had on him, was that the last flight or would he be able to catch another one? Finally some questions were answered and we found out he was able to hop on another plane that would arrive in Reno around 11:30 or so.

 

  We head back home, heads hung low(well, at least mine was). I'm pretty sure that was one of the longest hour of my life! I tried watching TV but I mainly sat there playing through in my mind what it will be like when he sees me. How should I act? What should I say? I didn't know, and I figured I wouldn't until I saw him and that smile of his :).

  Finally the time had come, we were are all staring

Papa and Brielle lookin at the airplanes

 out of the windows looking for "his plane". The one thing I had planned was to stay in the background. I wanted his family to be the first thing he saw. I knew I wouldn't be his number one priority and I should expect to be. So I hear someone yell, "There he is!" We all looked up in anticipation and I see this tall man walking down the corridor with this HUGE smile on his face! He was here! Finally! First thing, his sister runs into his arms and all you here him say is, "Blue hair!" He has amazing hugs, did I mention this? Yeah, they are like nothing you have ever felt! He takes so much time and you can feel his compassion and sincere concern for you in that hug...thus me wanting one so bad! So he goes through and hugs his family, some friends that were there, and my family. And I'm thinking this whole time, he hasn't seen me yet, he hasn't seen me yet, when should I make myself known? Next thing I know I met his eyes, all I could do was smile. You always hear in movies people say my knees went weak. I always thought that was fake. Well, I sure was proven wrong. My knees went weak and I was speechless! I wish I could put into words this look we had. It was so intense and I know he and I both felt it. He looked at me and all I could think was everything is OK, he loves me. I wish I will always remember his face in this moment. It was the answer to all those prayers I had given throughout those two years.

Our awkward moment after the hug

  He comes up to me and the only words I could spit out was, "Hand shake or hug?" and is arms embraced me and I got that hug I had been dreaming of for so long. The next part was super awkward. Normally, before the mission, after a hug was followed by a kiss. You could tell both of us hesitated after the hug and all I could say was, "Sooo..."

  I was on a high for the rest of the night! I couldn't stop smiling. I would see him sneak a glance at me every once in awhile followed by that look and a big smile. I had butterflies, giddy and extremely happy all wrapped in one! Once Anita and I left the airport I remember turning to her and saying, "That's it, I'm done. That's all I needed." (Side note; I still get chills when I recall this night).

One of the best hugs I've recieved!

  The next week was interesting. Perm had a good friend here in town that served his mission in Nevada and was really influential in helping Perm be baptized. He was also adjusting to being home. He kept telling everyone he was going to stick to the missionary schedule... yeah, ask him how that's going now :). I had to keep telling myself to slow down. I know what I wanted, but I still wasn't sure if he had his feet on the ground yet. Thankfully we had Hot August Nights to keep us busy and we had a blast with it! Getting together with friends and having Perm re experience everything all over again. He kept saying everything was weird. So finally he got sick of using that word and switched it to "unique".



I've lived in Reno/Sparks and this is the first picture I can remember taking under the sign!

Towards the end of the week I was able to steal him away and take him on a date. First I had to keep with a little cheesy moment, before Perm left on his mission, while we were having his farewell party I pulled him off to the side and into my room. I played Colbie Caillat's "Realize" and started dancing with him. I remember how special that moment was to me, it was one memory I held onto soo tightly! I remember crying and he told me I can't do that, I need to be strong. My mom walked in on us and she later told me that was one of the most precious moments she's ever seen. So I had to make sure if we started this journey with a dance we were going to end it with one too! So I pull him in my room and start playing it. We both got these huge grins on our faces and soaked up the the moment once again. Bowers Mansion has always been one of our get aways, we take a little picnic with us and just hang out. It's always becomes one of our favorite days. Unfortunately, the weather didn't want to cooperate with us, it started hailing and we both booked it to the car for cover. It was pretty nerve wracking driving home. I couldn't see far in front of me because it was coming down so heavily. We made it to our next destination safely, the Aces ballpark.

We had some pretty good seats that game too!

Knowing Perm, I had a feeling he would love and soak up every possible moment of this experience. I sure was right! He analyzed every part of the game and atmosphere possible! It's always fun to watch him when these new experiences happen :)

The sunset was perfect, and a great end to such an amazing day!